Breech-loading ordnance.



- when the plug is and to provide i niittingittohavelongitndinal theplug; and to these ends my invention consists in the various @Nierenrarita Ferarri" erich.

JOHN 1V. STOCKETT, OF iVASl-HNG'lON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

BREECH-LOADlNG ORDNNCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Patent No. 705,157,

dated .my 22, 1902.

Application filed October 20, 1900. Serial No. 337,761, (No model.)

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Brooch-Loading Ordnance,of which thev following is a. specification.

My invention relates to that class of breech mechanism of breech-loading ordnance in which is employed a continuously-threaded 'taperedbreech-plug, vide improved means whereby the breechplug is positivelylocked toits hinged carrier to be withdrawn from the breech, whereby thecarrier is vlocked to the breech whenl the plg is in place, and wherebyto insure the proper relations of the parts before the carrier can belocked to the breech,

means for retaining and ej ecting the primer, as well as ymeans forlocking the spindleto prevent its rotation, While permotion throughfeatures of construction and arrangement of parts having the inode ofoperationsnbstantially as hereinafter sert v yof a cap-plate. of thesaidplate.

` forth.

InA the accompanying drawings a preferred ,embodiment of ,inyinventionis shown, in

Figui-e1 is a-sectional plan of the breech of a gun with niy'iinprovedbreech inechanism. Fig. 2 is'a rear View of the breech, showing saidmechanism. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 4 is rearview Fig is a transverse section Fig. 6 is an enlarged rear view of thetoothed project-ionof the breechplug. Fig. 7is avsideview of the saine.Fig.

'8 is a section on the line S-Sof Figs.v 6 and 7. Fig. 9 'is an enlargedrear view of the ,the primerand operating is a vertical section'on Fig;11 is a plan of the Fig. 12 is Fig. 13 is an en- Fig. le Fig. l5

isa section on the line 14, Fig. 13.

j-isan end View of Fig. 15 looking in the di-` rti ` of the ejector, andFig.

Fig. 16 is a side view rection of the arrow. i

17 isl aface view of the ejector.

District of Columbia, have in the object being to pro- The breech A ofthe gun is provided with a tapering socket flaring toward the rear andcommunicating with the bore and is screwthreaded, and to this socket isadapted a continuously-threaded breech-plug B, which is supported by ahinged carrier C, pivoted to the breech by a pin 1. the time requiredfor withdrawing the screwof threads. plug B and operating-handle L areprovided with a pinion 12 and gear 13, permitting the breech-plug to berotated more than a complete turn, so that it is practicable to make thebreech-plug with a less taper than is required'wheu it'inust bedisengaged by a partial turn, and thus a better thread bearing issecured, and the pinion may be proportioned to reduce the labor ofdisengaging the plug. As the plug must trav-ellongitudnally, the gear 13onthe same is elongated. The screwplug has a central longitudinalopening, in which is placed a spindle 2, carrying a gas-check M on itsinner end and havinga firing-opening 3, and it is provided with meansfor prevent its rotating. The particular means for locking it to thecarrier will be hereinafter described, and, as shown in the presentinstance, it embodies the cap-plate K and cooperating parts. The plug isalso so construotedjand arranged that itis mounted on the carrier, andthe carrier practically supports the plug in such a Way that it mayrotate and move longitudinally with relation to around or about thespindle 2, although itis not supported by thespindle. The advantage ofthis construction is apparent to those skilied in the art, as it iswellf known that the fras-check is apt to stick in the breech afteroseat, due. to the lead of the thread..

" In order to reduce the carrier, and at the same time it rotatesplug byrotation, I provide it withaplurality l 1t will be seen that thebreechlocking it to the carrier, so as to IOG check suiiicient to-freethe gas-check from its into reopening in the carrier i), which openingis snrrounded'hy au annular -lange li, extending into en annuler recessjl; in the rearoi' the'plng. The plug thus turns on and is guido vy theflange li and is mainanni tion While it is permite l r. i toi-th Withinthe opening in the carrier, n the toothed wheel 13 engages the pinion l2open e. driving-shaft to which is connected the operating-handle L. Thecarrier isproviijied h e locking-'ooit e radially, the end D, sosupported as to incr lli thereof c tcruf recess u; in e. part of thebreech. This my be integre-l with the breech or., es .hor/n, may he asind l?, secured. to the breech. A spring i8 tends to carry the holtinward, to cause its inner end to .heer upon the face of the teeth ofthe gear 13, which are out on the projecting portion ot' the screw-plug,and also to cause the inner end. of the loch-bolt 'to enter its lockingrecess r in the breech Y ng. This projecting portion ol" the ping is prsided with a epiral caminos -lrhich when the plug is turned oer-.rs on'the ooit D. This spiral cam-face may he in but, es shown, is formedriphery oi' t. by cutting e, epiral groove, pnieferaiolyofgradueliy-ricreasing "i li toward. the forward ci the teeth of the wheeih'lt being oi' such width er .hete-'een the teeth durhe plug. v"When thelositioini shown in Eig. l, will hee-r 'that nd, across 'the i3, the endd 'or mit it cannot e the rotation intrisa in. `the the locking-- bolt Di of' the cern surface which is farthest of Athe t-plug, and when theping is tizrnej to wi dran' it from its soc-het in the breech, carryingthe toothed. Wheel i3 outward into the,ieeess in the carrier C, the endoi the ooit Zrill gradually traverse the o the cem ne it spiraily epproshes the axis ol the screw-plug, and the outer end l oi the bolt willgradually be drsw'n out from the recess zo by the action of its spring'1S, sind when in this position the vof the breech the inner end of theboltwill Venting any further rotation of the breechplug. As thebreech-plug is carried toward the breech in closing,r a bevel s on thebolt D metres contact vwith "neveled face 15 on 'the breech, and holt isthereby carried out of the socket o, end the outer end enters the recessw and locks the carrier to the breech. The plug can noviT be turned; butthe inner end of the bolt remains in the groove, so that the latter byits screw-like action serves by engaging with the bolt to feed the plugforward in such time and movement that its threads will engageproperly'with those of the breech. As shown, when the groove is of gradoallydecreasing depth the bolt is gradually forced out of the grooves,and its position in the recess yzu is insured; but this is notabsolutelyessential. l

When the parts are in their locked position, the handle L is in therelative position shown in Figs` l and Z-that is, extending later llytoward the hinge l of the carrier. By the peculiar construction andarrangeinent of the teeth on the plug and the pinion turning on abearing in the carrier engaging the teeth on the plugand having theparts so arranged that the pinion or handle will ro: tete more than acomplete rotation, preferably a turn and a'half to completely lock ordisengage the. breech-plug, then the handle Will be in a positionpractically diametrically opposite the position shown in Fig. 2, andthus be in a. position to get the greatest leverage to turn vthe carrierC on its hinge l. To aid in retaining the parts While the carrier isbeing swung upon its hinge, I provide means for locking the handle inthis position, the,

pinion,'operating-handle, and block-carrierr in the position aboveindicated and retains them there While-.the carrier swings outward orinward Vto open or close the breech mechanisnr.

The rear end of the firing-opening 3 in the spindle 2 is enlarged toreceive a primer Y, and about the enlarged end of this opening is fittedthe forked end i of an ejector-lever l, pivoted at 19 to the head 10,the spindle and head being prevented from turning, as set forthhereinafter. A slide J is movably iitted in guides at the outer end ofthe head l0 and isrprovided with a loose pin or ball-j',

fitted into an inclined slot or recessj, whichV ico IIC-

is so arranged that when the slide is lifted by its handle f3 this loosepin or ball will strike the projecting end z' of the ejector-le ver andswing the latter upon its pivot and throw out the primer. By continuingthe up# werd motion of the slide until theloose pin or ball has passedbeyond the end i' of the ejector-lever the latter will then drop back toits original position and permitof the insertion of 'a new primerWithout having to lower the slide J, which would interfere with theready insertion of a new primer.V Then after the down to cover theprimer and hold the same in place for firing the loose pin or bali willbe forced upward and outward in the oblique slot until it has passedbeyond the end L of the ejectordever. Then continuing the down- Io Wardmovement the loose pin or hall will pass by the end t' of theejector-lever and naturally fall to its lower positionl in the obliqueslotin the slide, ready for another' ejection. Vhen the slide isdepressed, a shoulder j* rests on the flattened surfaccsj of the head10, which acts as a stop to hold it in place and in such a position asto securely hold-the primer in place and prevent the -dislodgment of thelatter until the iii-ing is 2o eected. This firing may be effected bypulling the friction-wire of the primer or by means of an electriccurrent, and to faeiiit'ate the use of the latter the slide is providedWith a properly-insulated plate 20, having a binding-post 22 to receivethe end of the electrical conductor 23, it being understood that someother part of the gun is connected to another conductor leading to theelectric generator'. The spindle 2 of the breech-plug and gas 3o check,with the head 1G, may be prevented from turning by providing said head10 with a spline-screw g and with dat side faces g g", bearing againstdat bearings supported by the carrier C. Such bearings are best affordedby the inner edges g2 g2 oli' an opening `\.Q `iuamap-plate K, bolted tothe rear face of thenarrier C; the head l0 projecting through theopening z, as shown, and the cap-plate being out away at the lower edgeto receive 4.o the boss, through which extends the shaft of the pinionl2, connected with the operatinghandle L. This cap-plate not only servesto prevent'the head and parts connected therewith from turning, butlserves as a cap to exclu'de dirtv or other substances from getting intothe gear-te`eth or other parte of the mechanism. n..

'What I claim isf- Y l. The combination with a threaded breech, 5o of aplug-carrier, a breech-plug havinga continuous thread and supported torotate and move longitudinally on the carrier and having a peripheralspiral cam of varying depth, a radially-moving bolt on the carrier tolock 5 5 the carrier to the breech randlto engage said cam whereby the,boltf'is gradually released as the plug is rotated t'withdrawit fromthe breech and in closing the plug is fed forward by the bolt engagingthe cam before the plug- 6o threads engage/those of the breech, andmeans for rotating the plug on the carrier, substan tially as described.2. The combination with a threaded breech,

of a plug-carrier, a threaded breech-plug sup-v ported. to rotate andmove longitudinally on theicanrier and having a spiral cani ofvaryingedbpth and a locking-recess in said cam,

a bolt on the carrier t0 engage said cam and locking-recess, and meansfor movingv the plug on the carrier, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a threaded breech.

to engage said spiral cam and recess on the 8o plug, and means formoving the plug on the carrier, substantially as described.v

4. The combination with a threaded breech,

of a pl lig-carrier, a threaded breech-plug supported to rotate andImove-longitudinally on the carrier and provided with teeth and having aspiral cam formed on the said teeth, a bolt on th'e carrier to engagesaid spiral cam, and a pinion mounted on the carrier engaging theteethon the plug and provided with an operating-handle, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with a threaded breech having a bolt-recess, of aswinging plug-car rier having opening to receive the plug, a threadedbreecrnplug having a spiral cam terminating in a socket and supported to,rotate and `move longitudinally in the opening of the carrier, amovable bolt on the carrier, a spring on the bolt to cause one end toengage the vcam and socket or" the plug, an inclined face on the breechto release the bolt from the socket in the plug, and means for turningthe plug, substantially as described.

6. The combination With a threaded breech, or" a swinging breech-plugcarrier, a threaded breech-plug mounted to rotate and movelongitudinally on the carrier, teeth on tho plug, a pinion turning on abearing ou the carrier and engaging the teeth on the plug, a handleswinging with the carrier for operating the pinion, means for lockingthe breech-plug and the carrier when the plug has completed itslongitudinal movement in the'carrier after the plug has been disengagedfrom the threads of the breech and for locking the handle in a positionto exert the greatest leverage to turn the carrier on it's hinge,snbstan tia-ily as deA scribed.

7. The combination with a threaded brooch., of a threaded breech-plug, aplug-carrier, means for rotating and moving the plug longitudinally inthe carrier, a spindle extending through the plug about which the plugcan rotate, means for preventing the spindle from rotating, and agas-check mounted on the inner end of the spindle, substantially asdescribed.

S. The combination with a threaded breech, y of a plug-carrier, athreaded breech-plug car'-V ried thereby and provided with a.cylindrical toothed projection at its rear and having a spiralcam-groove of gradually-increasing depth in the vteeth of saidprojection, and a IOD IIO

locking-bolt mounted on the carrier and engaging said earn-groove,substantially as described.

9. The combination with a threaded breech, of a plug-carrier, a threadedbreeclrplug, a spindle about which the breeeh-plug revolves, having afiring-opening and provided with a head having atteued sides, a slidemounted ou said head, and a cap-piece mounted on the carrier andprovided with an opening engaging the attened sides of the head wherebythe spindle is prevented freni turning when the plug is turned,substantially as described.

'10. The combination with a threaded breech, of a plug-carrier, athreaded breechplug, a spindle about which the breech-plug revolveshaving a head, a slide radially movable in said head, an ejector'mounted on said head, a loose pin carried'by said slide and engagingsaid ejector, and a cap-piece mounted on the carrier and adapted toprevent the spindle and attachments from turning while the plug isturned,s'ubstantiaily as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification intheypresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

l y f Sonn W. sTooKETT.

Witnesses: y: F. L. FREEMAN, W. CLARENCE DUVALL.v

